Management & Operations

N.Y. MTA testing solar-powered kiosks that provide real-time info

The MTA, Metro-North Railroad and New York City Transit are testing the performance and reliability of solar-powered kiosks that allow customers to access real-time train, subway and bus arrival information without connection to the electrical grid.

The two solar-powered kiosks use MTA Subway Time and MTA Bus Time to provide Metro-North customers with real-time arrival estimates for connecting subways and buses at Metro-North’s Woodlawn station. The kiosks also display Metro-North upcoming scheduled train arrivals, and they will display real-time estimates for Metro-North arrivals later this spring.

“We are pleased that despite one of the harshest winters on record, with multiple days of sub-freezing temperatures and at least a half dozen severe ice and snow storms, the kiosks have continued to operate as intended," Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti said. "These kiosks have the potential for deployment in any above-ground station where running conduits for electrical and data connectivity pose a challenge.”

Powered 100% by sunlight, the kiosks draw no power from the electrical grid and can remain active for 10 days without needing to be recharged by the sun. Because they are completely solar-powered and receive the real-time information wirelessly, the kiosks are not dependent on any external wiring for installation and operation. This makes them fully self-contained and easy to install with no required street closures, electrical connections or cable installation.

While solar-powered kiosks are extensively used in Europe, this pilot is the one of the first fully solar-powered application displaying real-time information in the U.S.

The MTA is evaluating the performance of the kiosks to assess whether the solar panels, batteries and screens can withstand New York’s year-round weather. Kiosks are topped by a photovoltaic panel and consume 70 watt hours per day, and the screens refresh every 15 seconds.

During Ron Kilcoyne’s tenure, the Eugene, Ore.-based LTD achieved several important milestones, including the start of construction along the West Eugene EmX, being named APTA’s Best Midsized Transit Agency, and ranking among the top 20 transit agencies for efficiency.

In his resignation letter, David Armijo said his “goal of providing safe, reliable and sustainable transit service in the East Bay has been accomplished.” Armijo’s resignation is effective immediately.

Michael D. Griffus is the former chief executive of Keolis Transit America, a Los Angeles-based company that manages transit and rail operations across North America, while Susan Dreier is currently serving as chief operating officer at Ore.’s Salem-Keizer Transit.

The new modules will allow MST’s employees to access various functionalities over the Web, including bidding on work and vacation choices, and make it easier for the agency to establish run times, produce detailed itineraries with accurate distance calculations and automatically format schedules suitable for posting at each stop.